


As Walls Crumble

by lachoy



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:25:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachoy/pseuds/lachoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two weeks since Astral brought everybody back and only now is Mizael finally showing himself to Kaito.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Walls Crumble

It's a boring and ordinary day until Kaito goes to his living room to see Haruto sitting there with Mizael and it's just a little strange. Strange to see the once Barian sitting there so casually with his little brother. But Kaito had been waiting for this day and so it quickly isn't so weird anymore. A little more like a relief because his attempt at extending a hand out to the other had worked and he hadn't looked like a fool. Mizael notices Kaito first and quickly looks away, frowning. As always, Haruto is there to save the day and he smiles. Someone in the family had to have all the social skills and Haruto had taken that role.

“Mizael came to visit you.”

Mizael visibly twitches, obviously not liking the fact that his motive was just so bluntly said. Kaito just laughs, not surprised. Of course he would.

“Did he? That was nice of him.” Kaito simply walks by, eyes turned away from Mizael to tease because Kaito knows that Mizael is probably extremely easy to fluster up. He doesn't even have to look at him to know he's probably scowling, already on the defensive that Kaito is brushing him off subtly. Kaito isn't worried. As easy as it is to upset him, Kaito's certain he can probably unwind him, too.

Haruto just keeps smiling. “You were busy doing research and stuff, though, so I talked to him. I can't believe that Mizael is a real dragon tamer! And he knew a dragon! Actually knew a real life dragon! That's so cool.”

“It is,” Kaito agrees and Mizael still has yet to say a word. Lips thin, scowling, trying to stay quiet. But his eyes are shining with a million unsaid words that he probably wishes to scream out. “Haruto, how about you go find our father? Dinner should probably be started soon and we're having an extra guest tonight.”

Haruto's entire face is nothing but glee and he runs off. Mizael's face, on the hand, is the opposite.

“Do you always just make plans without consulting the other party?”

Kaito takes the seat Haruto had been in, facing Mizael. “You wouldn't say no.” It's been two weeks since they all came back and Kaito imagines it's taken those two weeks for Mizael to muster up the nerve to come here to see him. Probably worrying about some excuse for why he's here because Kaito knows all too well what that's like. Always needing an excuse and not just doing something because you simply want to. Keeping walls up for just in case.

“Perhaps I would have.” Mizael straightens his shoulders and he does a good job of acting offended. Glare and frown still set in place, but if he really didn't want to he would leave just now. Kaito doesn't say so because if he does then Mizael truly will leave and Kaito doesn't actually want that.

“How's school?” It's better to just change the subject because Kaito just has this feeling that Mizael could stubbornly defend his word even if he doesn't mean it at all. “It's weird to see you in a school uniform.” Not in his usual over the top get-up or in his Barian form. Though Kaito guesses he'll never see those again. Not now that they're human.

Apparently that's all Mizael needs to just start complaining. “It's absolute wretchedness. I'm centuries old and just because I don't look it, I'm expected to do this! I didn't even want to!”

“Then why did you?” Kaito asks. He knows Vector isn't attending school and Mizael could have gotten away with not going too if he'd really preferred it.

“Nasch and Merag went for obvious reasons so of course that meant Durbe would go as well. Gilag simply just wanted to and once Alit found out he could be in the same class as Yuma, he wanted to go. I figured I couldn't let them be by themselves.” 

“You'd be lonely,” Kaito says and before Mizael can yell at him for (correctly) guessing the reason, he continues. “Why don't you like it?”

Mizael goes on for minutes about why he doesn't like it. The rules he's expected to follow, the fact that he is supposed to listen to 'adults' who he is older than by centuries, and that he finds all the material he has to learn completely useless. Kaito's surprised to find he actually likes listening to him. Watching how animated he is, hands flying everywhere, that accessory in his hair moving with him. It's nice. 

By the time that Mizael's done ranting, it's time for dinner and Haruto's basically pulling on Mizael to the dinner table. Mizael stumbles and looks like he wants to yank himself away, but doesn't and Kaito has an idea why so he just smirks as he follows behind them. Faker is at the table already, trying to play the role as father and smiling to Mizael. Saying how it's nice to have a friend of Kaito's over for dinner until Kaito gives him a look that basically means 'stop'.

Haruto can't stop asking questions about dragons. What they eat, how do they take baths, do they need baths, and all types of questions that only a child could come up with. It's too fun to watch Mizael struggle not to snap and answer all these pointless questions so Kaito doesn't bother to. The surprising thing is how Mizael, after a moment, seems to enjoy it. He isn't exactly smiling or laughing, but his face is relaxed and there's something shining in his eyes.

By the time dinner's done and Faker sends Haruto off to go wash himself, much to the child's disappointment because he has so many more questions (and Mizael offers to answer more in the future), it's late and Mizael is still there. Time to actually talk. Kaito takes them to his room where it's quiet and peaceful. Where they can't be disturbed.

“You liked answering those questions of Haruto's,” Kaito says and there's an urging there for Mizael to explain why. Kaito thinks Mizael will answer because something tells him he wants to talk and Kaito's already told him that he wanted to hear his story. Now's the perfect time.

“Haruto reminds me of myself when I was a child all those years ago, back in China.” His eyes meet Kaito's and he quickly looks away. “Before I lost my village and people, before I found my new home, I was amazed by dragons. I wanted to know everything about them, but they didn't often show themselves to humans. It was a rare gift to see a dragon.”

Kaito didn't know that Mizael had lost his village and part of him wants to ask about that, but that isn't something he thinks he should pry at until Mizael's ready to talk about that. “But you became friends with one. Like a true dragon master would.”

It's like Mizael doesn't know how to handle a compliment which is funny considering Mizael's over the top behavior and his pride. His eyes widen, his face pales, and you could assume he was offended if one didn't know what Kaito had just said.

Mizael doesn't answer and there's nothing but silence there for a moment until Mizael continues on about his past life. Kaito simply listens and offering a wise crack here and there which Mizael is easy to snap back at. Even as it gets dark and the stars surround them through windows, Mizael just talks and it's like years and years of holding back are coming out now. Like something inside of Mizael just desperately needed this and Kaito feels good. Feels like he's finally paying it forward, the gift that was given to him by Yuma. He can give to Mizael in an odd sense.

When things wind down and it's late, nearing the bedtime of a middle schooler, Kaito points it out and Mizael frowns.

“Being treated like a child.”

“Adults have to go to bed at a reasonable time, too,” Kaito points and Mizael rolls his eyes before a yawn escapes him.

“How do humans do this? It's so frustrating.”

It hits Kaito then that he doesn't know how Barians even worked and the curiosity is now killing him, but that's a question for another day. “Come on, I'll walk you home.”

Along the sidewalks, cars driving by, they walk quietly and it really is amazing how silence can feel so comfortable with someone. They don't talk at all and it doesn't feel awkward, like they need to fill the emptiness with meaningless words and Kaito thinks maybe he needed this as much as Mizael had. By the time they get to the large apartment all the Barians were staying at, Kaito does have one question. Just one.

“Why did you hate humans?”

Mizael looks to Kaito and then away, as if he's truly thinking over his words. Or maybe wondering if he should answer that at all. If he can.

“Humans had betrayed us. Had betrayed my dear friend and I. Even without Don Thousand's manipulation, I died thinking that. That the people I had worked so hard to protect betrayed me. I suppose that's why.”

Kaito doesn't know what to say to that because Mizael's voice had never sounded so small and yet Kaito was glad to hear it because it was a step in the right direction and Mizael had told him.

“Good night, Kaito,” Mizael says seconds later and begins to walk towards the apartment complex.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” Kaito replies with a smile and Mizael stops for just a moment before he waves at Kaito over his shoulder and continues walking inside. Kaito looks up to the sky, smile still in place.

One day, he'd have to thank Astral for this personally.


End file.
